Gluten-Free Sausage Brands

Fact checked by Emily SwaimFact checked by Emily Swaim

Few sausage manufacturers say their products meet the government's standards to be labeled gluten-free sausage—even though the ground meat product is usually made without ingredients containing gluten like wheat, barley, and rye.

Often the products are made and packaged in facilities not up to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) gluten-free regulations. This means your sausage could be cross-contaminated with gluten, making it unsafe for populations sensitive to gluten. Ensure your sausage is gluten-free by looking at labels.

Gluten-Free Sausage Brands

Brands that meet FDA standards for gluten-free sausage include:

• Aidells Sausage Company

• Al Fresco

• Applegate

• Banquet Brown 'N Serve

• Bass Farm

• Beeler's

• Hatfield

• Hebrew National

• Jones Dairy Farm

• Niman Ranch

• Wellshire Farms

These companies test their products for gluten cross-contamination, and some certify products gluten-free, which means they test far lower than the minimum FDA gluten-free standard of fewer than 20 parts per million of gluten.

Most of the companies that make sausages say they use no gluten ingredients in their sausages. However, those sausages may be made in the same facility as gluten grains or on shared equipment.

Below is a comprehensive list of sausage manufacturers in the U.S., plus what they say about their gluten-free products and protocols.

Aidells Sausage Company

Aidells, a division of Tyson Foods, Inc., makes gourmet dinner sausages in such flavors as Artichoke & Garlic, Chicken & Apple, and Pineapple & Bacon. The company also makes breakfast sausage in several flavors. All of the company's sausage products are gluten-free (to less than 20 parts per million of gluten) but always double-check the label since Aidells places a prominent "gluten-free" designation on all safe products.

Al Fresco

This all-natural company makes three varieties of fully cooked chicken breakfast sausages: Apple Maple, Country Style, and Wild Blueberry. It also has a wide variety of fully cooked and uncooked dinner sausages, including flavors like Sundried Tomato, Spicy Jalape?o, Spinach & Feta, and Sweet Italian.

All Al Fresco products are considered gluten-free.

Applegate Farms

Most Applegate products—including all of its sausages—are considered gluten-free. Applegate Farms makes both breakfast and dinner sausages.

Armour

Armour, a division of Smithfield Food, Inc., makes Hickory Smoked Summer Sausage and other meat products. The company will disclose wheat in any of its products and doesn't currently use rye, barley, or oats in anything it makes, according to a spokesperson. The plant facilities are shared but follow strict guidelines to prevent cross-contamination.

Banquet Brown 'N Serve

This sausage is made by a subsidiary of ConAgra Foods. ConAgra has a policy of clearly identifying all gluten ingredients in its foods. Most Banquet sausage products are labeled gluten-free. However, sausages found in combo products like the Waffle Breakfast or Pancake Breakfast may be subject to cross-contamination, since the waffles and pancakes contain wheat flour.

Many Banquet Brown 'N Serve's sausages do not contain gluten ingredients. However, they are not specifically tested for gluten and could be subject to cross-contamination at the factory. Note that most Banquet products contain gluten, making cross-contamination more likely for products without gluten ingredients.

Bass Farm

Bass Farm, which bills itself as "Southern Country Sausage," makes several mild and hot varieties in both links and patties. According to a company spokesperson, everything Bass Farms produces is gluten-free.

Beeler's

Beeler's raises its pigs without antibiotics or growth hormones and with ample access to sunshine and socialization. The company makes three breakfast sausages and several dinner sausages, including bratwurst, Italian sausage, and gourmet flavored sausages. Everything is minimally processed.

Bob Evans

The Bob Evans restaurant chain also manufactures products for sale in grocery stores, including roll sausage varieties. None of the products have gluten-related claims, so while the main ingredient in each sausage product is pork, it is possible that some sausages contain trace amounts of gluten.

Broadbent Hams

Kentucky-based Broadbent makes several sausages. The company does not test for gluten, nor does it make any gluten-free claims, according to a spokesperson.

Farmland Foods

Farmland makes a variety of pork-based products, including breakfast and dinner sausages. The company does label some products gluten-free. The designation appears on the product label to the right of the company logo.

"If that claim is not present on the package, we are not making such a claim," according to a company spokesperson, in part because ingredients from outside suppliers might contain gluten. Wheat—one of the top eight allergens—will always be listed in the ingredients statement, the spokesperson added, noting, "Modified food starch in our products is corn or potato-based. Also, dextrose in our products is corn-based."

Hatfield

Pennsylvania-based Hatfield makes breakfast sausage and dinner sausage in several flavors. The company maintains a list of gluten-free products, and many of its sausage products are on it.

However, certain sausage products may be vulnerable to cross-contamination. Some sausage is produced on shared equipment that is cleaned between product runs, a company spokesperson said. Most Hatfield products that contain gluten are hams and ham steaks.

Hebrew National

Hebrew National is best known for its hot dogs (see the gluten-free hot dog list), but it does make beef breakfast sausage (knockwurst). Since Hebrew National is owned by ConAgra Foods, it will clearly label any gluten-containing ingredients. The Beef Knockwurst is free of gluten, fillers, and artificial colors.

Hillshire Farm

Hillshire Farm makes nearly 100 products, about half of which are sausage varieties. Hillshire Farm does not test for gluten and doesn't make gluten-free claims.

Jimmy Dean

Another Hillshire company, Jimmy Dean sausages are not currently tested for gluten and are not considered gluten-free, according to a spokesperson.

Jones Dairy Farm

Jones Dairy Farm is certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), which means it's gluten-free to less than 10 parts per million, or GF-10, levels.

Jones makes many types of sausages with, as the company says, "only five ingredients: pork, water, salt, spices, and sugar." The company also supports the Celiac Disease Foundation and the Celiac Sprue Association. Be aware that Jones does make a few products that are not gluten-free, so always double-check the label for that "GF" symbol.

Neese's Country Sausage

The company's retail sausage products are gluten-free and do not contain MSG, nitrates/nitrites, or preservatives, according to a spokesperson.

"Our sausage products are manufactured in the same plant as some of our other products that do contain wheat gluten, but are separated by multiple curtains and rooms," the spokesperson said.

Niman Ranch

Gourmet meat producer Niman Ranch specializes in sustainable, humanely raised pork and other products. The company makes gluten-free sausages and bratwurst.

Smithfield

Known mainly for its hams, Smithfield also makes a few breakfast and dinner sausage products. According to the company, "Link and Loop sausage do not contain MSG and are gluten-free."

A company spokesperson adds that Smithfield has eliminated the use of gluten ingredients and other allergens at most of its plants and uses a strict allergen control program to prevent cross-contamination in the few instances where allergenic ingredients are used. The company notes it will call out any gluten ingredients on its product labels.

Tennessee Pride

This brand, another division of ConAgra Foods, does not maintain a list of gluten-free sausages. ConAgra brands will disclose gluten ingredients clearly on the label, but will not guarantee products meet the legal definition of gluten-free.

Wellshire Farms

Wellshire Farms advertises itself as "all-natural meats and allergy-free foods," and most of its products, including the sausages, are considered gluten-free. The company's website features a searchable database that allows you to see lists of foods that are considered gluten-free, and also exclude other allergens (such as casein, corn, nuts, and soy).

A Word From Verywell

If you're particularly sensitive to trace gluten, look for companies that have certified gluten-free sausage. Companies that don't make anything with gluten ingredients are also good bets.

Read the original article on Verywell Fitness.